Members of Black First Land First (BLF) were forcefully ejected from Parliament on Tuesday after disrupting a meeting of the home affairs portfolio committee. PHOTO: Chantall Presence/ANA

BLF members ejected from Parliament after confrontation with Oppenheimers

By Chantall Presence Oct 30, 2018

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Parliament - Members of Black First Land First (BLF) were forcefully ejected from Parliament on Tuesday after disrupting a meeting of the home affairs portfolio committee, with one of the rabble rousers manhandling South African billionaire Nicky Oppenheimer.

Oppenheimer, his son Jonathan, and executives of Fireblade Aviation were briefing MPs on its long-standing dispute with the Minister of Home Affairs over their operating of a private terminal at the OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg.

BLF leader Andile Mngxitama jumped up from the back of the meeting, interrupting committee chairman Hlomane Chauke, who had opened the floor for questions from MPs.

"This family is a criminal family. You are allowing them to lie to you. Nicky and his father went to the ANC (African National Congress). They captured the ANC," shouted Mngxitama.

"Fireblade must be shut down."

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Members of Black First Land First (BLF), including its president Andile Mngxitama, were forcefully ejected from Parliament. Video: Chantall Presence/ANA

Members of the BLF had earlier taken up seats between MPs and near to the Oppenheimers. One man went right up to Nicky and Jonathan Oppenheimer, pointing his finger at them and manhandling them before members of the parliamentary security stepped in and forcefully ejected him and others, including Mngxitama.